1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which performs such image processing as the control of image quality for image data, and particularly to an image processing apparatus which determines a process according to the purpose of process such as the enhancement of the qualitative effect on feeling (hereinafter simply called "Q-effect") and 3-dimensional effect on feeling (hereinafter simply called "3D-effect") and the feature of each subject picture, and implements the selected process that best meets the picture, thereby allowing the user to improve the picture easily as intended.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various image processing apparatus have been developed in recent years for editing, manipulating and analyzing of image data. Among a variety of image processing functions, the fundamental function is to display a subject picture on an image display device, to let the user specify a portion of picture to be processed and an image process operator which manipulates the appearance of image such as the contrast, sharpness and edging, and to occasionally set a process parameter for finer control, and implement the process thereby to improve the picture as intended.
These image processing apparatuses in general have a number of image process operators for dealing with the image composition and quality based on "tone inversion, " "image rotation," "sharpness adjustment," "edge emphasis," "contrast enhancement," etc., and the user uses these operators in carrying out the image processing and occasionally sets process parameters of individual operators for finer control thereby to improve the picture as intended. On this account, most part of the image process is carried out repeatedly by the user on a trial-and-error basis. Specifically, the user specifies a certain operator and parameter, carries out the image processing based on the parameter, and assesses the result of process. The user will make different settings of operators and parameters, and carry out the image processing repeatedly until the intended result is obtained.
These conventional image processing apparatuses require of the user at image processing to instruct a certain operator, e.g., "edge emphasis" or "contrast enhancement." However, the operator specified by the user can possibly be inappropriate for the subject picture.
Image data has a variety of image qualities derived from polishing subjects such as a camera, radio and glass, non-polishing subjects such as a scenery, vegetation, fresh food and fruit, light-projected subjects, and shadowy subjects. Implementation of image processes based on a same operator for these various subject pictures will end up in different results, and the user's intention to improve the Q-effect and 3D-effect of the pictures may not be attained satisfactorily.
Conventional image processing apparatuses let the user specify an image process operator that deemed to be appropriate for the purpose of process and set a process parameter for the operator, and implement the image process based on the operator and the parameter instructed. The feature of the subject picture is analyzed subjectively by the user for the setting of a proper operator and parameter. Accordingly, the setting of a proper operator and parameter relies entirely on the user's skill, and it is difficult for unskilled users, who will be obliged to repeat the image processing too many times on a trial-and-error basis, to carry out the image processing conveniently.